Crime severity index rising in Calgary

A new report from Statistics Canada is showing a rise in severe crime in Calgary.

The Crime Severity Index shows the crime rate was 5,588 offences per 100,000 people, with the index at 81.8

By comparison, Edmonton’s Crime Severity Index is 112.3, Regina is 111.9 and Winnipeg is at 106.9.

However, Calgary’s rate is higher than the national average of 72.9, with 5,334 severe offences per 100,000 people.

Mount Royal University Justice Studies professor Doug King said this reflects a trend around the country.

“Crime rates generally have been going up — in that the ratio of severe crimes to less severe crimes is shifting. That there seems to be more severe crimes taking place than, say, 2014.”

Rural crime is also an issue in Canada, with crime rates outside urban centres continuing to rise. This is especially prevalent in Alberta, where rural crime happens at 38 per cent higher rate than urban cities.

For the most part, drug crimes are also on the rise, which is playing a factor in another major crime increase — stolen vehicles.

“It started in British Columbia, and it has swept across Canada,” said King. “And it corresponds to what we call the opioid crisis, which is linked to heroin and those kinds of things.”

But despite the ongoing crisis, King added that methamphetamine is still the drug of choice on Calgary streets.

Cannabis offences are much lower though, to continue a six-year trend, with police charging fewer people with possession. At the same time, however, drug-impaired driving offences are rising.

King believes this report can help inform police departments on how to allocate resources, but we should avoid knee-jerk reactions like introducing more serious punishment for serious crimes.

“That doesn’t impact overall crime rates. What will, ultimately, will be things related to intervention programs, school programs, crime prevention programs, and those kinds of things.”